The Alrevia Order [Elisop]

#5 Torn between love and hate

"Chloe, this is Aesop! He's one of my most trusted friends!"

The girl glanced at the boy hiding behind her friend. The latter had gray hair and eyes and looked rather uncomfortable. What a pathetic boy she thought. She had only come to see Joseph in the first place and had not expected them to have any extra company at all. His best friend? Since when? Chloe was pretty sure she was his only friend since she came to see him every week and this was the first time she had seen Aesop.

"I don't want to play with Aesop."

"What-"

All of this is to say that Aesop and Chloe didn't get along since the first moment they met. The brunette found the boy's passive, self-effacing nature annoying and the young man thought she was one of those arrogant girls who only cared about pretty things and didn't care about quiet people like him. The two had the same relationship as a tiger and a snake, meant to clash and bicker.

"Chloe, you should try to get along with Aesop."

"You too, Vera?"

"That's just some advice, little sister. Why do you hate him so much?"

"He doesn't say a single thing and just hangs around like a ghost!"

Vera giggled at Chloe's spiritedness before patting the area next to her on the couch to tell her sister to come sit next to her. The latter bit her lower lip slightly before eventually settling on the seat. The older one then ran her hand through the other's brown locks as if to comb them, humming a soft melody that their mother used to sing to them to lull them to sleep when they were younger.

"Why don't you try talking to him? I'm sure you two could get along."

"Big sister, why are you so concerned about my relationship with him?" she asked with a pout.

"Well... Duke Carl has done a lot for me by taking me under his wing. He saved my life and I can't be grateful enough for that."

"He saved your life?"

"It was during an expedition to slay a red dragon, the group had been split up due to an ambush by smart monsters and one party ended up cutting through the forest. I was in that group. However, we didn't think that the path we had taken led to the dragon's nest and we were unfortunately too few in number."

She paused for a moment and pulled the sleeve of her dress down slightly to her shoulder, revealing an old scar. Chloe said nothing and simply looked at the wound with a pained expression. She knew about the accident since Vera had come back in a bad state and she had been forbidden to see her for a whole week. Nevertheless, she had not been told all the details and did not know the whole story.

"Some had already breathed their last, others were struggling to stand and so was I.We all thought our time had come... Until he showed up, wielding his rapier. He cut off the beast's head in one motion, without even staining his clothes with blood."

"He looks incredible!"

Vera laughed as she saw Chloe's lit-up expression and stroked her head.

"He still does today. I was so impressed at the time that I begged him to become his disciple, he finally agreed after my incessant requests and here I am today."

The young woman wore a proud expression as she recounted the facts and her younger sister couldn't help but admire her.

"I met his son a few times on my way to his house. Admittedly, he's not very talkative, but he's always been courteous by greeting me every time. Demi says he's the sweetest little brother ever." she added with a laugh.